Nail polish does not significantly affect pulse oximetry measurements in mildly hypoxic subjects.
BACKGROUND
The effect of nail polish on pulse oximetry measurements in non-hypoxic subjects has been studied extensively. Some studies found that nail polish decreased pulse-oximetry (S(pO(2))) values, whereas others found no effects from nail polish.


OBJECTIVE
To determine if nail polish affects S(pO(2)) measurements in mildly hypoxic subjects.


METHODS
At high altitude, 5 investigators, whose mean oxygen saturation was 91.3% (mild hypoxia), and with 2 brands of pulse oximeter and oximetry probe, obtained S(pO(2)) measurements from a finger with nail polish and from the matching finger on the opposite hand without nail polish. We tested 9 different nail-polish colors and made 210 pairs of S(pO(2)) measurements.


RESULTS
The mean +/- SD S(pO(2)) values from the fingers with and without nail polish, respectively, were 91.4+/-4.1% and 91.2+/-3.5% (difference 0.2+/-3.2%, 95% confidence interval -0.2% to 0.4%).


CONCLUSIONS
With the pulse oximeters and oximetry probes we tested, nail-polish had no significant effect on S(pO(2)) in mildly hypoxic healthy subjects.
Yamamoto
Loren G
LG
Emergency Department, Kapiolani Medical Center For Women And Children, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. loreny@hawaii.edu
Yamamoto
Julienne A
JA
Yamamoto
Joelle B
JB
Yamamoto
Brennan E
BE
Yamamoto
Patricia P
PP
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000531:Altitude; D003358:Cosmetics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009262:Nails; D010092:Oximetry / Q000379:methods*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult
D003358:Cosmetics; D010100:Oxygen